News Education Choices Magazine: Why the EPQ Matters in Sixth Form 08.01.2026

We are delighted to be featured in the Winter edition of Education Choices magazine in the article ‘The Power of Independent Inquiry – Why the EPQ matters in Sixth Form’.

With universities and future employers increasingly looking for students who are independent thinkers, curious and intellectually resilient, it’s no surprise that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) has become a highly valued aspect of Sixth Form education. At Godolphin and Latymer, the EPQ – a 5000-word essay or practical project like an artefact or performance with a written report – is a core strand of Sixth Form academic life for A Level students. Students studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) undertake the similarly demanding 4000-word Extended Essay (EE). The result is that almost every student embarks on an extended piece of independent research, an experience that shapes not just their academic outcomes but also their personal growth.

There is also a very practical advantage to completing an EPQ: universities like it. Many institutions acknowledge the qualification’s value by lowering grade requirements in conditional offers, recognising the project as evidence of academic independence, commitment and originality.

In the article Dr Jamie Carter, Senior Deputy Head (Academic), explains that ‘We see the EPQ as a cornerstone of our academic provision. Almost all of our A Level students complete it alongside their main subjects, and with every IB student also completing an Extended Essay, it means that every Sixth Former at Godolphin has the opportunity to explore a topic of their choice in real depth.

‘We emphasise the research process as much as the final essay or artefact. This mirrors our whole-school belief that if you focus on getting the process of learning right, the outcomes will take care of themselves. 

‘Our students achieve superb academic results, but those results are secondary to the personal journey that each completed project represents. The EPQ is far more than a qualification. It is a journey of intellectual discovery and for many pupils, it is one of the most fulfilling aspects of their Sixth Form experience.’

To read the article in full, turn to page 73 of the Winter edition.